'There were elderly men and women who would tell us stories about the wars in Nkandla.'
Former president Jacob Zuma. Picture: Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo
Former South African president Jacob Zuma said he is not ready to die until he changes the country for the better.
He was speaking at the relaunch of the Jacob Gedleyihlekisa (JG) Zuma Foundation in Durban over the weekend.
Zuma told those who were at the event that he often reflects on the state of the country and the injustices of the past.
“I have told some people that they should be happy because I still have time on this earth; I do not have time to go, no.
“How can we depart and leave this country in these conditions? I always say to myself, I am not going anywhere; I will remain right where I am,” he said.
Black unity
Zuma said black people in the new South Africa are at an advantage compared to the generations that came before. He also called for unity among black people.
“Many bad things were done to us, but because we are not people with bad hearts we are at peace,” he said.
Zuma further told guests at the event that he became politically conscious because of his upbringing in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal. He said the area had a rich history of colonial battles.
“When I grew up, there were elderly men and women who would tell us stories about the wars in Nkandla,” he said.
Education
He said that, because of the socio-economic conditions of his time, he could not complete his schooling during the apartheid era, even though he wanted to.
He said this did not stop him from being passionate about ensuring that children went to school. He spoke about his efforts to ensure students went to school, even during volatile tensions between the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal.
“I really wanted our people to become educated because the white people had the money,” he said.
He said he has been passionate about educating black children ever since.
Zuma is 84 years old and fully controls all major decisions in his party, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.
The future of the JG Zuma Foundation
According to The Witness, the foundation’s CEO, Dr Phumelele Zakwe, said its approach would move beyond its previous focus on sport, education and agriculture.
“We are going to focus on entrepreneurship and want people to start their own businesses,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Jacob G. Zuma Foundation also used the relaunch to raise funds.
Members of his party pledged different amounts.
